The entire disclosure of the Japanese patent application No. Hei 11-106739, filed on Apr. 14, 1999, including its specification, claims, drawings, and abstract is incorporated herein by reference.
This invention relates to event control, and more specifically to automated delivery of events.
In a window system for personal computers or the like, when a plural number of windows are running, to which of the windows the inputs entered through a mouse or a keyboard (event signals, or events) should be given must be determined. Conventionally, an operating system controls to give events to windows that are chosen and activated by an operator.
However, the operation with such a method is cumbersome because the operator must choose and activate an intended window or windows by the use of the mouse, etc.
To solve the above problem, JP-A-Hei 5-11962 proposes to keep a list of windows that can be activated, so that windows are switched sequentially by pressing a specific key. This enables the user to switch windows simply by pressing the specific key. This has put to practical use a simpler method of switching windows than choosing windows by the use of a mouse.
However, even with this conventional art, that the user is required to operate the key is still cumbersome. Using the conventional window system in particular to household-dedicated appliances such as a TV set poses a problem because the operation is required to be simple.
An object of the invention is to provide a technique for solving the above-described problem, making it possible to determine delivery destinations of events without requiring choosing operations by the operator.
Another object of the invention is to provide a technique that enables delivery destinations of events to be changed flexibly.
(1) The event control device of this invention comprises an event input means for inputting events, a delivery destination determining information storing section storing the delivery destination determining information indicating for every application to which application an event in question should be delivered according to the contents of the event, and a delivery destination determining means for determining to which application the event should be delivered according to the contents of the event and on the basis of the delivery destination determining information and delivering the event accordingly.
Therefore, an event can be delivered to an appropriate application according to the contents of the event, even without the operator choosing an addressed application.
(2) The event control device of this invention is adapted to record the degrees of priority of delivery as delivery destination determining information. Therefore, an event can be delivered to an appropriate application according to the priority degree.
(3) The event control device of this invention further comprises a delivery destination determining information changing means for acquiring information on which application is currently active and for changing the delivery destination determining information on the basis of the acquired information. Therefore, an addressed application may be flexibly changed depending on which application is in operation.
(4) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery destination determining information storing section comprises an event reception specifying section storing information on whether the event in question should be received or not, according to the contents of respective events, and a delivery priority degree storing section storing delivery priority degree information on to which application the event should be delivered preferentially and in that the delivery destination determining means determines the application to which the event should be delivered and delivers the event on the basis of the description in the event reception specifying section and the delivery priority degree storing section.
Since the event reception specification and the delivery priority degrees are stored separately, delivery destinations may be changed flexibly according to combinations of two pieces of information.
(5) The event control device of this invention further comprises an event reception specification changing means for acquiring information on which application is currently in operation and for changing the description in the event reception specifying section according to changes in the currently operating application.
Since it is arranged that only the application currently in operation is described as the delivery destination of the event to be received, an addressed application is determined quickly.
(6) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the event reception specification changing means also carries out the process of changing the description in the event reception specifying section according to current operating statuses of respective applications.
Therefore, an addressed application may be flexibly changed according to the operating statuses of respective applications and an appropriate application may be chosen as the addressed application according to the situation.
(6) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the event reception specification changing means receives description changing instructions from respective applications and carries out the process of changing the description in the event reception specifying section.
Therefore, which event may be received can be specified from the application side. That is to say, it is possible to determine events to be received according to the progress in the process of an application when the application is created.
(7) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery destination determining information storing section comprises a basic delivery destination storing section in which are described applications to be the basic delivery destinations for respective contents of respective events, and that the delivery destination determining means, in the case an application to which an inputted event may be delivered is not specified in the event reception specification section, delivers the event to the application of the basic delivery destination described in the basic delivery destination storing section.
Therefore, even if the delivery destination of an event is not described in the event reception specifying section, an application of the basic delivery destination may be determined as the delivery destination. Therefore, in whatever status, a status in which no delivery destination application is present can be avoided.
(8) The event control device of this invention further comprises a delivery priority degree changing means for acquiring information on which application is currently in operation and for changing the priority degree in the delivery priority degree storing section according to the change in the currently operating application. Therefore, the delivery priority degree can be changed depending on which application is currently in operation and an appropriate delivery destination application can be chosen according to the situation.
(10) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery priority degree changing means changes the priority degree in the delivery priority degree storing section in consideration of current statuses of operation of respective applications.
Therefore, the delivery priority degree can be changed according to the operating statuses of respective applications and an appropriate delivery destination application can be chosen according to the situation.
(11) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that a plural number of delivery priority degree tables are stored in the delivery priority degree storing section corresponding to combinations of applications in operation, and that the delivery priority degree changing means changes the priority degree by choosing a corresponding delivery priority degree table according to changes in the applications in operation.
Therefore, an appropriate delivery priority degree table may be quickly chosen and used.
(A) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery priority degree changing means receives the combinations of applications in operation or current operating statuses of respective applications and when they are in agreement with predetermined conditions, changes the delivery priority degree of the delivery priority degree storing section, and when in disagreement with the predetermined conditions, does not change the delivery priority degree of the delivery priority degree storing section.
Therefore, the delivery priority degree can be changed only in such an exceptional case in which the delivery priority degrees to be criteria are stored and kept and the process status is in agreement with the predetermined conditions.
(12) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery destination determining information storing section comprises a delivery property storing section for storing delivery properties of events respective applications receive, and that the delivery destination determining means determines the application to which the event is delivered in consideration of also the delivery properties stored in the delivery property storing section.
Therefore, events can be appropriately delivered to respective applications according to the delivery properties.
(13) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the delivery properties show whether an event in question can be received also with other applications.
Therefore, whether or not the event is to be delivered simultaneously to a plural number of applications can be appropriately determined.
(14) The event control device of this invention is characterized by further comprising a delivery property changing means for changing the delivery properties of the delivery property storing section according to the operating statuses of respective applications.
Therefore, whether or not the event is to be delivered simultaneously to a plural number of applications can be appropriately changed according to the situation.
(15) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that a plural number of events are grouped into event groups, that the delivery destination determining information storing section stores delivery destination determining information showing to which application an event belonging to an event group should be delivered for respective applications by priority degrees, and that the delivery destination determining means determines to which application the event should be delivered according to the priority degree stored in the delivery destination determining information storing section and delivers the event accordingly.
Therefore, a plural number of events can be arranged into groups to control the delivery destination applications.
(16) The event control device of this invention further comprises an event group changing means for changing the grouping of events according to the operating statuses of respective applications.
Therefore, events to be grouped can be appropriately changed according to the situation.
(17) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that a plural number of applications are grouped into application groups, that the delivery destination determining information storing section stores delivery destination determining information showing to which application group an event in question should be delivered for each application group by the priority degrees, that the delivery destination determining means determines according to the inputted event to which application group the event should be delivered based on the priority degrees stored in the delivery destination determining information storing section, and delivers the event to the application belonging to the application group.
Therefore, delivery of events can be controlled by arranging a plural number of applications into groups.
(18) The event control device of this invention further comprises an application group changing means for changing the grouping of applications according to the operating statuses of respective applications.
Therefore, applications to be grouped can be appropriately changed according to the situation.
(19) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that each application controls itself to writes information on whether itself is activated or not in the delivery destination determining information storing section.
Therefore, the delivery destination determining means can determine the delivery destination of an event in consideration of the statuses of respective applications stored in the delivery destination determining information storing section.
(23) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that the device is capable of operating a plural number of applications and determining which application should execute the inputted event, that it comprises an event execution information recording section for recording event execution information showing in which application the inputted event should be executed according to the contents of the event, and an event delivery means for delivering a given event to at least currently operating application, and that the respective applications that have received events from the event delivery means determine whether or not the received events should be executed in reference to the recorded contents in the event execution information recording section.
Therefore, the respective applications themselves can determine whether or not to execute the received events in reference to the event execution information.
(24) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that respective applications control to write as event execution information whether or not the respective applications are in operation.
Therefore, applications for executing events can be dynamically changed according to which applications are in operation.
(25) The event control device of this invention is characterized in that each application records the current status of its own operation in the application operation recording section and each application that has received an event from the event delivery means determines whether or not the event it received should be executed in consideration of the current operating status of the application recorded in the application operation recording section.
Therefore, whether or not the event should be executed can be determined in consideration of the current operating status of each application.
(27) The digital broadcasting system of this invention is characterized in that
a transmitter comprises a multiplexing means for creating multiplex data by multiplexing receivable event information describing events receivable on a receiver side into contents, and a transmitting means for transmitting the multiplex data,
a receiver comprises a receiving means for receiving the multiplex data, an event input means for receiving events from an operator, and a demultiplexing means provided with an interactive demultiplexing application for demultiplexing the multiplex data received with the receiving means and for carrying out the process of changing the contents to be demultiplexed , and that
the demultiplexing means, based on the receivable event information it has received, chooses receivable events out of events inputted from the event inputting means and gives them to the interactive demultiplexing application.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to control events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable on the receiver side.
(29) The transmitter of this invention is characterized by comprising a multiplexing means for creating multiplex data by multiplexing receivable event information describing events receivable on a receiver side into contents, and a transmitting means for transmitting the multiplex data.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to control events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable on the receiver side.
(30) The digital transmitter of this invention is characterized in that the multiplexing means multiplexes the receivable event changing information for changing the receivable events based on specified conditions.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to change events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable on the receiver side.
(31) The digital transmitter of this invention is characterized in that the contents are described in a self-descriptive type of language and that the receivable event information is described as definition information on the self-descriptive type of language.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to easily control events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable on the receiver side in data broadcasting, etc.
(32) The digital transmitter of this invention is characterized in that the receivable event changing information is described as major information of a self-descriptive type of language.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to easily change events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable on the receiver side in data broadcasting, etc.
(34) The receiver of this invention is characterized in that it comprises a receiving means for receiving the multiplex data, an event input means for receiving events from an operator, and a demultiplexing means provided with an interactive demultiplexing application for carrying out the processes of demultiplexing the multiplex data received with the receiving means and changing the contents to be demultiplexed, and that
the demultiplexing means, based on the receivable event information it has received, chooses receivable events out of events inputted from the event inputting means and gives them to the interactive demultiplexing application.
Therefore, it is possible from the transmitter side to determine events to be made receivable and events to be made not receivable based on the control from the transmitter side.
(35) The digital receiver of this invention is characterized in that the demultiplexing means changes the receivable events based on the receivable event changing information it has received.
Therefore, the events to be made receivable and the events to be made not receivable can be changed based on the control from the transmitter side.
(41) The digital receiver of this invention is characterized in that it receives multiplex data, demultiplexes and displays the received multiplex data according to the operation of an operator, changes a program by means of a communication line or broadcast reception according to the operation of the operator, or changes a program by replacing a recording medium recording the program, and carries out different displaying processes before and after the program change for the same operation by the operator.
Therefore, in the status of the same application is activated, even if the operator operates in the same manner, the contents of the process may be changed automatically by changing the program, so that different displays can be produced.
(44) The digital transmission system of this invention is characterized in that
a transmitter comprises a multiplexing mans for creating multiplex data by multiplexing delivery destination determining information into contents, and a transmitting means for transmitting the multiplex data,
a receiver comprises a receiving means for receiving the multiplex data, an event input means for receiving events from an operator, and a demultiplexing means provided with a plural number of applications including a demultiplexing application for demultiplexing multiplex data received through the receiving means into contents, and
the demultiplexing means determines to which application the inputted event should be delivered according to the contents of the inputted event and based on the delivery destination determining information it has received.
Therefore, a broadcasting system can be provided that is capable of controlling from the transmitter side the delivery destination of the event on the receiver side.
(45) The transmitter of this invention comprises a multiplexing means for creating multiplex data by multiplexing the delivery destination determining information into contents, and a transmitting means for transmitting the multiplex data.
Therefore, a transmitter can be provided that is capable of controlling from the transmitter side the delivery destination of the event on the receiver side.
(46) The receiver of this invention is characterized in that it comprises a receiving means for receiving multiplex data, an event input means for receiving events from an operator, and a demultiplexing means provided with a plural number of applications including a demultiplexing application for demultiplexing the multiplex data received through the receiving means into contents, and
the demultiplexing means determines to which application the event is to be delivered according to the contents of the event entered and on the basis of the delivery destination determining information it has received.
Therefore, an application to which an event is to be delivered can be determined based on the delivery destination determining information sent from the receiver.
The terms used for describing the invention will be hereinafter explained.
xe2x80x9cEventxe2x80x9d refers to an incident given to an application, program, etc. and is a concept including the depression of a key, movement of a mouse, click on the mouse, reception of data, etc.
xe2x80x9cDelivery destination determining informationxe2x80x9d refers to the information for determining to which application an event should be delivered and is information including not only that expressed in the form of a table or the like but also that obtained by calculation process or the like. In the embodiments, this includes the following types of information; event reception specifying information, delivery priority degree information, basic delivery destination information, delivery property information, receivable event information, receivable event changing information, application startup information, etc.
xe2x80x9cDelivery destination determining meansxe2x80x9d refers to the means for determining the delivery destination of an event. In the embodiments, the event control program of FIG. 3, the event control program (for determining delivery destination) of FIG. 13, etc. correspond to this.
xe2x80x9cEvent reception specification changing meansxe2x80x9d refers to the means for substantially changing the event reception specification information used, and is means for such cases as including choosing a piece of information for use from a plural pieces of event reception specifying information prepared in advance, rewriting the contents of the event reception specifying information, etc. In the embodiments, the event control program (for controlling the delivery destination information), etc. of FIG. 12 correspond to this.
xe2x80x9cDelivery priority degree changing meansxe2x80x9d refers to the means for substantially changing the delivery priority degree information used, and is a concept including such cases; as preparing a plural pieces of delivery priority degree information and choosing one for use, rewriting the contents of the delivery priority degree information, etc.
xe2x80x9cDelivery property information changing meansxe2x80x9d refers to the means for substantially changing the delivery property information for use, and is a concept including such cases; as preparing a plural pieces of delivery property information and choosing one for use, rewriting the contents of the delivery property information, etc.
xe2x80x9cInteractive demultiplexing applicationxe2x80x9d refers to an application for carrying out a process accompanied by some reactions in the output contents responsive to the input operation by a viewer (an operator), and is a concept including not only the cases of changing screen display and voice output but also the cases of changes in the internal process, etc. even without any change in the screen display and voice output. This includes also an application for displaying an electronic program table, and an application for station tuning responsive to the operation of a user. In the embodiments, the browser application corresponds to this.
xe2x80x9cRecording medium recording a programxe2x80x9d refers to any recording medium such as ROM, RAM, flexible disk, CD-ROM, memory card, hard disk, etc. on which programs are recorded, and is a concept including communication media such as telephone lines and transfer paths (carrier paths). This concept includes not only such recording media as the hard disk connected to a CPU with programs recorded on it directly executed but also such recording media as CD-ROM recording a program that is once installed in a hard disk and then executed. Further, the programs referred to here include not only those which can be directly executed but also those of source type, compression-processed programs, encrypted programs, etc.